Spring Blizzard

It is the first day spring. The snow has been falling all day. At times it is pellet-like and driven, other times it is light and fluffy and drifts slowly towards the earth. A little has accumulated, but most of it has melted. The roads are wet and clear, no worries there. Visibility might be a problem though, for travel. Attila is home, safe and sound.

We have had some beautiful days these last two weeks; the blizzard like conditions are an unwelcome change. Still, it will only be a matter of days until the weather is milder again, and the sun will shine once more.

Our evening meal will consist of roasted potatoes and squash, and a roasted chicken breast. The squash is from our garden, and we have decided it is time to consume it, as it is just beginning to show signs of age. So far this winter our diet has been significantly provided by our garden, and in season food preservation projects.

One treat we have been indulging in is a green salad as part of our evening meal. We make our own salad dressings, and Attila makes croutons from homemade bread, so only the fresh vegetables need to be purchased. Our grocery shopping usually focuses on dairy and produce.

There is very little spontaneity or adventure in my food choices. I have had to leave behind most of the foods I loved for most of my life. Having as many food restrictions as I do, determining what to eat that would be safe and healthy and tasty can be overwhelming, and depressing, it hurts to be constantly thinking about it. I cannot eat the way the most of the rest of the population eats. I avoid these feelings by having a list of foods that tick all the boxes. It has taken a lot of effort to find recipes that will meet all the requirements, tasty being the most challenging. A lot of recipes don’t taste very good without the large amount of salt called for. I never eat restaurant, take-out, or prepackaged foods, virtually none of these foods are acceptable.

My solution has been to enjoy what I can have. For instance, my usual breakfast is a cup of coffee, and two muffins. These muffins are always made with my base recipe, oatmeal, home milled whole wheat flour, canola oil, egg, milk, and flavouring, so no allergen, low cholesterol, low sodium, and low sugar.

This past winter I have been enjoying the same breakfast every single morning: Jalapeno Cheese Muffins. I drain one 500 ml jar of my canned Cowboy Candy, and use the brine to make my salad dressing. The peppers are mixed into two recipes of muffins, along with about 60 g of grated cheese per batch. It makes for a lovely breakfast, and there is no thinking about “what should I have” to add tension to my day.

For lunch I usually have one of my soups: Chicken Noodle, Stone Soup, or Vegetable Beef Soup. I make about four quarts of soup at once, using the Instant Pot, and eat the same soup for lunch every day until it is gone. Then I cook another big batch of soup.

Dinner is a meal shared, so Attila usually selects our dinner menu from a list of entrees that meet my needs. I love them all, and so does Attila.

Attila chooses his own menus for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. These choices are made without having to meet all the requirements of my diet.

It is in this way that I avoid any anxiety over what to eat, and enjoy every meal. And Attila enjoys his meals, while retaining his wider range of choices.

When we travel we pack lunches, snacks, and beverages.

If we don’t cook, we don’t eat!

Worldly

Weather

Updated on Tue, Mar 19 at 5:38 PM
0°C
FEELS LIKE -4
Snow
Cold, wind, and snow. Welcome to Spring in Ontario!
Wind 15 W km/h
Humidity 98%
Visibility 0.1 km
Sunrise 7:12 AM
Wind gust 23 km/h
Pressure 100.2 kPa
Ceiling 500 m
Sunset 7:18 PM

Quote

Oft expectations fails, and most oft there
Where most it promises; and oft it hits
Where hope is coldest, and despair most fits.
William Shakespeare
1564 – 1616
All’s Well that Ends Well, Act II, sc. 4